Dana White says Mark Hunt turned down fight with Junior dos Santos

According to UFC president Dana White, there's a very good reason Mark Hunt isn't meeting Junior dos Santos in May - Hunt turned down the fight.

This is going to take some heat out of the rally for Mark Hunt. Despite what Hunt said on twitter last night about wanting to take a UFC 160 bout with former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, Dana White said that it was actually Hunt that turned down the bout. Here was the exchange with a fan on twitter:

Dana White :@danawhite

@NickFury16 @markhunt1974 with his win last week he broke into the top 10. He will get a top 10 fight but as of last nite he turned down JDS

MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani elaborated a bit on the situation, saying he spoke to Hunt, but he's not saying anything:

Ariel Helwani :@arielhelwani

According to @danawhite's twitter, @markhunt1974 "turned down" the JDS fight. Just spoke to Hunt, he declined to comment on the situation.

This doesnt make any sense. maybe hes hurting after his fight with Struve

Shawn91111

3/7/13 5:26:40PM

Until Hunt says its true I wont believe a word Dana White says.

Pookie

3/7/13 5:28:38PM

I know hunt told his twitter followers to rally the army of doom and spam Dana with requests to have him fill in for Overeem.

bootyclause

3/7/13 5:38:12PM

you know back in the later Pride v UFC days I was always a defender of Dana and thought all the hardcore fans were too rough on him. Now 6 or 7 years later I finally realize I was wrong - Dana is a chronic liar and sort of just a bad person.

Hunt was begging for the fight openly yesterday. Now Dana has some petty, bizarre reason to lie about it 1 day later. Ridiculous.

cowcatcher

3/7/13 5:42:13PM

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

sparky

3/7/13 5:46:56PM

I was hoping this fight would happen guess not

postman

3/7/13 5:56:06PM

Posted by cowcatcher

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

Thats the only logical reason. Of course Dana isnt going to add that part. Im serious though Dana White wants nothing to do with Mark Hunt holding the HW title. Dana has a man crush on well devloped abs on a man.

SmileR

3/7/13 6:47:26PM

I do not believe one word of this!

Poor_Franklin

3/7/13 7:27:30PM

Posted by cowcatcher

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

is Hunt still getting paid $6k to show, $6k to win. if so, i could see why he would want more money

Shawn91111

3/7/13 7:28:11PM

Posted by Poor_Franklin

Posted by cowcatcher

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

is Hunt still getting paid $6k to show, $6k to win. if so, i could see why he would want more money

Nope

jjeans

3/7/13 7:32:28PM

Posted by Shawn91111

Posted by Poor_Franklin

Posted by cowcatcher

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

is Hunt still getting paid $6k to show, $6k to win. if so, i could see why he would want more money

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

is Hunt still getting paid $6k to show, $6k to win. if so, i could see why he would want more money

No and he has never fought in a place that releases them. Someone from some site posted the $6K thing for his first UFC fight, and now its dragged over every time and its not true.

Poor_Franklin

3/7/13 8:24:46PM

Posted by Shawn91111

Posted by Poor_Franklin

do Japan payouts even get released?

No and he has never fought in a place that releases them. Someone from some site posted the $6K thing for his first UFC fight, and now its dragged over every time and its not true.

i saw the $6k thing on twitter. pretty bummed right now bc i thought twitter was always right

prophecy033

3/7/13 8:25:11PM

Posted by Budgellism

I thought Hunt wanted this fight?

me too

Poor_Franklin

3/7/13 8:45:07PM

Mark Hunt tweet

Jus so u know i don't turn fights down

I have never turned down a fight and even wen I was injured I had to force myself not to fight your general fears no man but the almighty

Pookie

3/7/13 8:45:35PM

He was still on his Pride contract during his first two fights. Theres no way Pride was paying him 6k

prozacnation1978

3/7/13 8:59:06PM

Wow hunt backed down Decline to comment doesnt help his defense. Has to do about money

jay98107

3/7/13 9:07:28PM

This is the most irritated I've been with Dana in a long, long time. Jon Fitch being too expensive included.

prophecy033

3/7/13 9:08:16PM

Posted by prozacnation1978

Wow hunt backed down Decline to comment doesnt help his defense. Has to do about money

prozac, you need to read previous posts. Hunt said on Twitter that he doesn't turn fights down.

infestructure

3/7/13 9:26:38PM

When asked if Hunt was keen for the fight he said he was 'born down'. Maybe he was talking about down syndrome

MuayThaiGeek13

3/7/13 9:58:32PM

Wow can't believe pride only paid hunt 6/6

sbulldavid

3/7/13 11:06:14PM

Mark Hunt has fought everybody and taken just about everything, Dana is full of shit.

jjeans

3/7/13 11:12:27PM

Posted by Shawn91111

Posted by jjeans

Posted by Shawn91111

Posted by Poor_Franklin

Posted by cowcatcher

I have to think that if Hunt indeed did turn it down that it was about the money being offered. He was pretty damn adamant about wanting the fight yesterday, but I'm sure he feels like he deserves to be paid headliner money if he's going to headline. There's a good chance that this is just Dana BSing though.

is Hunt still getting paid $6k to show, $6k to win. if so, i could see why he would want more money